Stop. What’s your first instinct? In this instance, most of us immediately put blame on the disruptive driver: He’s inconsiderate, reckless and — you know, a !$#% multitude of expletives. This reaction is a product of reflexive hatred. When you practice reflexive compassion instead, you give the driver the benefit of the doubt — he’s racing his wife, who’s in labor, to the hospital; he’s 10-minutes away from missing his flight.

You’ll actually be doing yourself a favor when you choose compassion. Instead of working yourself up, you’ll be able to sooner return to enjoying your road trip. Meshorer says that putting yourself in someone else’s shoes when in a tense situation is the key to feeling more blissful every single day.